Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I took off the DR Lo-Riders from my 4003 and put on some DR Hi-Beams today. I've had the Hi-Beams for a while, just never gave them a fair shake before. They've got a nice grindy growly bite to them (along with lots of finger noise!). Are these what Roto 66 would sound like or is nothing else like Roto 66 experience?

You got it in one......there is nothing like the RS66LD experience!

Based on the bass's in your pic, you seem to know what you're talking about! Thanks!

But also based on your pic, is that how many sets you go through in a year?

Rotos don't feel the same as Hi-Beams, they are a bit "tighter" and the sound matches that trend IME. I'm not a big fan of either though so I may not be the best judge.

I have used both.
About 15 years ago, I was constantly getting Rotosound sets that had one dead string in them.
It was really frustrating. So much that I had to make a change.
I tried DR Hi-Beams.
They sounded great, balanced, lasted a long time and I never got a dead string. Ever.

After awhile I was wondering if Rotosound had correcrted their manufacturing flaws and decided to try a new set.

Well, the DR's were great, but once I switched back to Rotosound, I heard 'that' sound again and that sealed the deal. There were no dead strings and I was a happy camper again.
Now, in the last year I did have some more dead string issues from new sets of Rotosound, but I was able to exchange them for new ones.

Issues aside, there is NOTHING like a set of Rotosound roundwounds. They just have a 'sound' that no other string comes close to for my tastes.

2112 wrote:...there is NOTHING like a set of Rotosound roundwounds. They just have a 'sound' that no other string comes close to for my tastes.

A big +1 on that...

2112 wrote:I have used both.
About 15 years ago, I was constantly getting Rotosound sets that had one dead string in them.
Now, in the last year I did have some more dead string issues from new sets of Rotosound,

About 29 years ago I got a few sets of Rotos that the strings sounded not dead, but odd. After two new sets, I'd thought their was something wrong with my Rick. Installed a new set of them on my '76 Precision...same thing happened!
Hello 'D'Addario! I've thought about trying Rotos again within the past few years and I've heard of a couple of other people telling me about their recent experiences with Rotos...and I'll just stick to D'Addario. I've been doing fine with them for the past 30 years. I've found no reason yet to change.

rickenbrother wrote:...I'll just stick to D'Addario. I've been doing fine with them for the past 30 years. I've found no reason yet to change.

+1

I'm with ya

Somebody on this forum turned me on to RCocco strings, I put them on my Thunderbird studio, like them very much, I use the Curt Mangan Ric strings on my 4003's and my Larado and Cii

Do they still 'eat' the frets like I experienced in the past? I meant the Rotos !!!!

Yeah, I like D'Addario XL's, but the Roto's just seem to have that little extra bite or something. Since I've gotten back into playing, I at first went with Rotos, then wen to D'A (well what came on a few Ricks I bought, which seem to have been made by D'A). They're pretty good, but I all in all, I think I'm still a RotoSound guy...

I bought the DR Hi-Beams several months back. Since I already own 'em, I might as well run with them for a while. The Rotos sound like an expensive proposition over the course of a year, IOW, can't buy just one box. Later this year when things pick up and I've got a bit of pocket money to play with, then I'll give then a shot.

Thanks to everyone for all the valuable info!

Its probably fair to say that Rotosounds do what they do the best.... (all the good and bad...)
I like them but I have gone to some cheaper brands for the moment (because they are cheaper)

emac.

I use Hi Beams on my '82 4001S and Low Riders on my V63. I could never get a straight answer on Rotos on the '82, whether it was safe or not and I like the HB sound, so I stuck with it. As for D'Addario's, I use them almost exclusively on my six strings, but the bass strings resonated wrong - can't put my finger on it, liked the sound, but it almost hurt my teeth when I played. I had them on my Guild B302 once but switched back to GHS Boomers, which I'd been using for years. Never tried Boomers on a Ric, anyone?

Never tried Boomers on a Ric, anyone?

That's what I use. They've worked weoll for me for years, and I'm not one to try a bunch of different strings.